Sound-reproducing machine.



F. G. GOODALE.

SOUND REPRODUCING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 26, 1908.

944,608. Patented Dec.28,1909.'

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INVENTOR f/aMJ/h 6f 6M0/e ATTORNEY FRANKLIN c. GOODALE, or TACOMA, WASHINGTON.

SOUND-REPRODUCING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 28, 1909.

Application filed June 26, 1908. Serial No. 440,468.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN ALE, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Tacoma, in the county of Pierce and State of Washington, have invented certain new' and useful Improvements in Sound-Reproducin Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing. a

This invention relates. to sound reproduc ing machines, and especially to those adapt- I attain these objects by the mechanisms anddevices illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a vertical section of the reproducing mechanism; Fig. 2 is a front view thereof showing the device for shifting the reproducer from one set of records to another parallel setyFigs. 3 and ,4 are front views of the sound amplifier-in its closed and opened positions respectively; Fig. 5

is a vertical section thereof on theline a-b in Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a side View of the inachine with one of its standards removed in order to show the mechanism; Fig. 7 is a rear view of the machine, and Fig. 8 is a view of the dial of the device for controlling the sound amplifier.

Similar numerals of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The great objection and drawback to the commercial use of sound reproducing machines is found in the limited time that they may be operated on account of the form of record. This fact is well known to all those who have daily use of the machine for com mercial purposes, as well as those who use the machine for the reproduction of musical compositions, and it. is with this drawback in viewthat I have devised the hereinafter described machine. Besides this, the circumstances under WhlCh sucha machine may be used will vary from time to timev C. Goon and therefore the loudness of the sound which is suitable to some circumstances would not be suitable to others, and it is desirable and even necessary to have means for controlling the loudness of the sound at will.

Referring now to the drawings, the motor mechanism by means of which the machine is driven is preferably mounted within the box 1, which acts as the base for the machine. The driving belt 2 passes through the top of the box and engages the pulley 3 suitably mounted on the machine. The machine itself is mounted between the parallel frames 4, 5, 6 and 7, which are secured to the top of the box 1, and is driven from the said pulley 3 by the following means: The said pulley 3 is mounted on a shaft 8 which has a sleeve 9 rotating therewith butslidably mounted thereon, and the said sleeve 9 carries a gear 10 adapted to drive either one of two gears 11 and 12, according to the position in which said gear 10 may be placed. This position is controlled by means of a lever 13 pivoted to the frame work of the machine and connecting with'the slidable sleeve 9 by means of a bar 14 carrying a yoke 15 engaging in a collar in said sleeve 9, so that by moving the lever 13 from one position to the other the gear 10 is slid from engagement with one gear 11 to engagement with the other gear 12. The purpose of this arrangement is to provide a mechanism for rewinding the record ribbon 16 after it has been run through the machine, and this rewinding is preferably done at a higher rate of speed than the unwinding thereof when the record is being used. The record consists of a continuous ribbon 16 of suitable flexible material prepared to receive on its surface the impressions from a diaphragm with a stylus adapted to record the sound waves received thereby thereon. The record ribbon thus prepared and inscribed is wound on a reel 17 and passes therefrom past the idler roller 18, over the guide and sound amplifier 19, and then part way around the driving drum 20, and the second idler 21, and so on to the reel 22 on which it is temporarily wound; The record ribbon 16 is driven by frictional contact with the' driving drum 20, which may be made of any sultable material having sufficient friction between'it and the material of which the record ribbon is made, so that the turning of the drum '20 will draw the ribbon 16 through the machine. The driving drum 20 when the large gear engages the said gear 11. A crossbelt 24 mounted on the shaft 23 beside the driving drum engages the temporary take-up reel 22 and drives it so that as the record ribbon 16 is unwound from one reel 17 it is wound-on the other. When the main gear 10 engages the other gear 12, to rewind the ribbon 16, it acts through a train of gears consisting of the said gear 10, a large gear 12 and a smaller gear 25 engaging therewith and on the shaft of whichthe record ribbon reel 17 is mounted. Since the action passes through one more gear when in this position than when in the driving position the direction of motion is reversed without reversing the .direction of the'main gear, and since the last gear 25 of the train is smaller than-the gear 11 of the driving drum, the rewinding action is correspondingly faster than the unwinding action.

The ribbon 16 as it passes from one drum to the other, slides over a device which I have called the sound amplifier. ing point 26 engages the record ribbon 16 at a point exactly in the middle of this amplifier. The amplifier. consists of a pair of nonthe distance between the parts 27 of the amrotative curved and flanged bodies 27 over which the record 16 slides, and which are hinged together at 28 and are separable at their upper surface where the record ribbon 16 slides. I have 'found thatwhen these two surfaces are in contact the vibration of the reproducer point 26- i's much less than when they are separated, and that the extent of the vibration thereof increases with the distance between the saidparts of the amplifier. The reason for this is that the ribbon 16 being flexible and being in "tension at this point where it engages the reproducing point, is itself vibrated and greatly increases the vibration of the reproducing point 26, so that the vibration of the diaphragm 29 operated by thereproducing point 26 is increased. The extent of the opening between the two parts 27 'of the amplifier is governed by means of apair of links 30-secured to a disk 31 mounted on a rod 32, which is suitably mounted in the frame work of the machine and which carries a pointer '33 adjacent'to a dial 34 secured to the frame of the machine, and which has a small knob 35 at its end whereb it'may be turned so that the pointer 33 shall indicate on the dial 34 any desired number. As the-pointer- 33 is swung on the dial from right to left (see Fig. 8)

plifier, over which the record ribbon l6ha s to pass, increases from naught to a maximum, hence it is evident that any desiredf loudness within the compass ofjthe machine 'may be attained by turning N that the pointer will indicate on the dial the The reproducamplifier.

It is evident from the above that the reproducer does not have to, move in this machine, since the reproducing point 26 always occupies the same position, as the record is made in a straight line on the record ribbon. But, since the record isitself a very minute line, it is evident that I- can, without materially increasing the size of the record ribbon, place a number of records on the same ribbon side by side, and all that .is necessary to do to shift the machine from one record to the other is to' shift the reproducer so that the point 26 thereof will en gage whichever one of the records on the ribbon it is desired to'jhave reproduced. I have indicated six records on the ribbon illustrated in the drawings, but it is evident that this may be changed to. any desired number. The entire reproducing device is mounted on a sleeve 36 which is slidable on a rod 37 mounted in the frame of the machine, a spring 38 having a pawl 39 at its end engages in the rack 40 mounted on the frame of the machine so that the sleeve 36 will be held by the said pawl 39 and rack 40 in any position in whichit may be placed. In order to shift it from one position to another a bar 41 is fastened. to the sleeve 36 and is moved longitudinally by the lever 42 which is secured to a transverse horizontal rod-43 having a knob 44 at one end whereby it may be turned, and having a pointer 45 at its other end, adj acentto a dial 46 mounted on the frame of the machine. This dial 46 has figures thereon which correspond to are to be reproduced the corresponding number on the dial is indicated by 'the pointer. v

The reproducing mechanism itself consists of the usual diaphragm 29 mounted in suitable framework 48 and engaged at. its

center by the long end 49 of a lever pivoted to the frame at 50. This pivoted lever is acted on in my invention by'a second piv-- oted lever ,51 which is connected thereto by a link 52 and which carries at its. other end the reproducing point 26. By this-arrangement I have/increased the leverage of. the

reproducing point 26 so as to make the ma chine much more-sensitive. Thediaphragm- 29.211151 first lever-are fixed in posltion except as to-the-"adjustinents for reproducing varl- 'ous records, asfabove described, butthe sec- :ond lever- 51 is removable; from the record :by means .of a'hange-r 53 tq which the secbndleverfil is ivoted indi-which is itself pivoted to the ame work 48 of the diaphragm ;and whichgis engaged by athumb lever 54 to lift it from its engaging position when it is desired to remove it from the ribbon either for rewinding or for changing from one record to the other.

It is evident from the above that the field .of usefulness of such a sound reproducing .to satisfy the circumstances under which the reproduction is to be made.

Having described my invention, what I claim is: v

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a recordsupport, a flexible record-body engaging the same, and soundproducing means engaging said record-body, said record-support comprising connected members adapted to be brought together to form a continuous surface, or separated 'to form spaced-apart surfaces.

2. Ina device of the class described, the combination of a record-support, a flexible record-body engaging the same, and soundproducingmeans engaging said record-body, said record-support including members pivoted together and adapted to be brought together to form a continuous surface or separated to form spaced-apart surfaces.

Ina device of the class described, the combination of a record-support, a flexible record-body engaging said record-support, and sound-producing means engaging said record-body, said record-support embracing two pivoted together members having rounded upper surfaces, and means adapted to separate said members, or bring them together.

4. A device of the class described comprising a record-support formed of two pivoted together members, a flexible record-body engaging said record-support, sound-producing means engaging said flexible recordbody, a slidable sleeve carrying said soundproducing means, means for supporting said sleeve, and means for actuating said sleeve,

'said sleeve having applied thereto a springpawl and a rack engaged by said pawl.

A device of the class described comprising a record-support formed of two pivoted together members, a flexible record-body engaging said record-support, sound-produc ing means engaging said flexible recordbody, a slidable sleeve, a spring-pawl attached to said sleeve, a rack engaged by said I pawl, a lever having connected thereto a registering pointer, and means of connection between said lever and said sleeve.v

6. A device of the class described, comprising a record-support formed of two pivoted together members, a flexible record body engaging said record-support, sound producing means, a slidable sleeve carrying said sound-producing means, and means for effecting the movement and retention of said sleeve at required points of adjustment, said sound produ'cmg means including a lever connected to the diaphragm thereof, means for actuating said lever, and a'second lever' connected to the aforesaid lever and carrying means engaging said flexible recordbody.

7, In a sound reproducing machine, the combination of a pair of record supports with free space therebetween; a flexible recold body engaging said supports and passing over the space therebetween; and sound producing means engaging said record body at a point between saidsupports.

8. In a sound reproducing machine, the combination of a pair. of record supports with free space therebetween; means for adj ust-ing said supports relatively to each other whereby the space therebetween is adjusted; a flexible record body engaging said supports and passing over the space therebetween;

and sound producing means engaging said record body at a point between said supports.

9. In a sound reproducing machine, a sound amplifier comprising apair of adjustablesupports with space therebetween, over which the record body passes, and at the median point of which the sound means engages the record body.

. 10. In a sound reproducing machine, the combination of a pair of flanged record supports with free space therebetween; a flexible record body guided by and engaging said flanged supports and passing over the space therebetween; and sound producing means engaging said record body at a point between said supports.

112 In a sound reproducing machine, the combination of a pair of record supports hinged together; a controlling rod adjustably supported in the machine; and a pair of links secured to said record supports and to opposite sides of said controlling rod, whereby the adjustment of said rod adjusts the relative positions of said \record supports.

producing In testimony whereof I affix my signature 

